EXCLUSIVE — A once-in-a-century celebration commemorating the Border Patrol’s 100th anniversary later this month has been canceled over concerns stemming from an internal investigation into several top agents’ connection to Mexican businessmen.  

The Border Patrol’s national chief, Jason Owens, announced late Thursday that the gala in El Paso, Texas, next weekend would no longer take place despite several years of planning. 

“The gala event planned for May 25th in El Paso celebrating the Border Patrol’s 100 years of history has been canceled. All other events will proceed as planned,” Owens wrote in a post.

Three insiders involved firsthand in the investigation told the Washington Examiner that the investigation into Owens and Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Gloria Chavez has been blown out of proportion and no wrongdoing had been done.

In a preventive measure meant to protect agents from facing possible discipline for attending the gala, Owens made the final decision not to allow agents to attend.

NBC reported on May 9 that a small group of current and former senior Border Patrol officials and their spouses traveled to Mexico to party with a Mexican tequila maker and did not disclose the travel plans, triggering the internal investigation.

Two people who were on the trip have now told the Washington Examiner following the publication of the NBC report that the investigation was launched because the trip came up during a separate inquiry into someone else and that the trip to Mexico was being picked over with a fine-toothed comb to ensure it was above the books.

International personal travel by senior federal law enforcement executives must be disclosed before and after the trip. Agents in the Senior Executive Service of government may not accept gifts or money from foreign entities.

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NBC’s report alleged that the group “partied with” Francisco Javier Gonzalez at Tequila Casa de los Gonzalez at his family’s distillery complex, and officials are being investigated for whether they violated ethics rules.

“Jason will be cleared for all of this. The trip was approved, documented, and personal leave taken,” one person who was on the trip said. “We paid for everything. We have receipts for everything.”